Malone, 27, formerly of St Helen’s Street, Ipswich, was jailed for three-and-a-half years in December 2011 for knifepoint robberies at The Uni Shop in Grimwade Street and Emeny News in St Helen’s Street.

The steelworker had handed himself in to police after seeing himself in a CCTV image on the front page of The Star. He had held a knife to the throat of one shop assistant and the neck of another.

After being released from prison Malone crept into a Great Yarmouth home where two brothers were asleep, Norwich Crown Court heard.

He wore a mask when he attacked Mr Lambert, who was aged 55, following a minor disagreement over the music played at a birthday party earlier that day.

The attack was at a house in Albion Road, where Mr Lambert was asleep on a sofa in the living room.

Malone had already admitted to GBH with intent to Mr Lambert, attempted GBH with intent to Mr Lambert’s brother Tommy, 62, and aggravated burglary, taking Mr Lambert’s laptop that had been used to play music at the party on February 1 this year.

Referring to Russell Lambert Judge Stephen Holt told Malone: “That poor man is still hanging between life and death.”

Malone is due to be sentenced on October 7.

When Malone was sentenced by Ipswich Crown Court in 2011 Recorder John Akast said: “This is a sad case. This is no doubt entirely out of character. What got into your head on that night, I really can’t say. Something daft did. But it went beyond the daft to the dangerous.”

Malone escaped with £250 in cash from Emeny News and stole vodka, cigarettes and cash totalling £610 from the UNI Shop as well as £50 from worker Mohamed Hamid. He demanded the shop’s CCTV but was given a CD of Indian music instead.

Malone also has previous convictions for public order offences in his native Ireland, and to possession of an offensive weapon in Sussex in 2008.